Teen bodyboarder killed by shark off Australia

GlobalPost

A teen bodyboarder was killed in a shark attack Saturday off Australia's east coast — the nation's second deadly mauling this month.

Zach Young, 19, was bodyboarding with three friends about 300 feet offshore at Riecks Point, near the northern New South Wales city of Coffs Harbour, when he was bitten on the legs, New South Wales police said in a statement.

More from GlobalPost: Man killed by shark in Western Australia

Horrified, his friends dragged him to shore and attempted to rescucitate him, but to no avail.

Young is thought to have had a heart attack after the mauling, according to AAP.

Police said Young was sitting upright on his boogie board when the attack occurred.

"A struggle has taken place and he has managed to break free," Coffs Harbour police inspector Joanne Reid told Sky News. "It has taken a bit of time to get him to shore and he lost a fair amount of blood on the way."

More from GlobalPost: Shark bites surfer in half off Western Australia

Locals said sharks were rarely seen in the area and the incident had shocked the community.

Beaches in the area were closed for 24 hours.

Young's death comes just one week after a 35-year-old surfer was killed by a shark south of the Western Australian city of Perth.

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